Yarn conditioning apparatus for knitting machines



Sept. 12,1950 J; W. CRAWFORD 2,522,211

YARN CONDITIONING APPARATUS EOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 1'7, 1947 5SheetQ-Sheeta-l a N 3W Sept. 1950 I J. w. CRAWFORD 2,522,211

YARN CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 17, 1947 v3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v 10 76 i Z 5 L 15 i- 1 U 15 p 1950 J. w. CRAWFORD 22,522,211

YARN CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR KNITTING MACHINES FiIed Jan. 17,1947 ssneets-snee; s I

v v l E lNVENTOR Patented Sept. 12, 1950 w" r UNITED. STATES PATENTOFFICE YARN CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Joseph W.Crawford, Boonton, N. J., assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ,2 J

Application January 17, 1947, Serial No. 722,527 r on the yarn inpassing through the treating.

liquid and the collecting of other foreign matters from the yarn andair,the ordinary yarn treat ing apparatus becomes very dirty andrequires frequent cleaning. Heretofore, such cleaning operationsrequired considerable manipulations of the parts of the treatingapparatus and yarns passing therethrough necessitating extensive andcostly shutdowns of the fabricating machines.

such treating apparatus have usually been individual to eachtwo knittingheads or to each machine section and while certain of these apparatuswere provided with means for continuously supplying fresh liquid andincluding means for draining off the surplus liquid, the construction ofthe apparatus permitted little or no actual circulation of the fluid;consequently, allof the foreign matter collected in the. treating liquidsettled on and adhered to the parts of each individual apparatussubmerged in the treating liquid and the cleaning of the conditioningmechanism for, a multi-section knitting machine consisted of a series ofindividual cleaning oper ations for each section.

It is accordingly an object of the present in-' vention to provide anapparatus for treating yarns with liquid to condition them forfabrication and which shall have'an optimum convenience-for cleaning.Another object of the invention is to provide means in a yarn treatingapparatus of the liquid type adapted to lift yarns passing above as wellas yarns passingthrough the treating medium to a position above thetreatingapparatus to perini'lt ready access tothe interior oftheapparatus.

Still another object of the'invention isto provide means wherebytheyarns passing through or above the liquid in a liquid treatingapparatus may be raised to lift the yarns sufficientlyfor convenientcleaning of the apparatus and their latched or temporarily fastened inraised position to facilitate the cleaning operation. I T A furtherobject ofthe invention is'to provide 26 Claims. (elite-"125) g 20 QFurther, in full-fashioned knitting machines aliquid treating apparatusfor fabricating machines-in which the liquid container extends over thewidth of several knitting sections in one uninterrupted length along themachine.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a liquid treatingapparatus for fabricating machine in which the liquid container extendsin one uninterrupted length alongthe machine and in which the treatingliquid is continuously circulated through the container.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of theinvention shown in the accompanying drawings, myinvention resides in thenovel elements, features, of construction and arrangement of the partsin cooperative relationship, as hereinafter more particularly pointedout in the claims. n th dr i gs:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a full-fashioned knitting machine havingthe present invention appuea thereto as well as a liquid circulatingsystem, partsbeing broken out toreduce the length of the View and partsbeing shown in section for purposesof illustration;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken sub- 'stantially on the line2-2 of Fig. l and looking in"'the direction of the arrows, parts beingomitted for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 3is' a view similar toa portion of Fig. 2 but shown on a greatlyenlarged scale relative thereto-y h t Y i Fig; 4 'is'a' 'view similar toFig. 3 but showing the parts in different relative positions; 'Fig; 5 isa sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 lookingin the direction ofthe arrows;

:Fig .'6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line66 of Fig.5, looking in-the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. '7 i518. fragmentary plan view as viewed in thedirection of thearrows 1--'! of Fig. 3. 111 thedrawings and description, only themeansnecessaryto a complete understanding of the invention arespecifically set forth; further information as to the construction andoperation of other related, usual and well known knitting machineelements, mechanisms, etc, may be found-inane or more of the followingipublicae tionsz- 1. Pamphlet 7' 'entitled Full-Fashioned KnittingMachines-published and copyrighted by the Textile Machine Works,Reading, Pennsyl- "vania/in 1920. 22!:Three catalogs entitled-TheReading Full- 23 Fashioned Knitting Machine Parts Catalog published andcopyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, in 1929, 1935 and 1940,respectively.

3. Booklet entitled-The Reading High Production Full-Fashioned KnittingMachine which, forming a supplement to the above noted 1940 PartsCatalog of the Textile Machine Works, is a publication of the TextileMachine Works, copyrighted by the latter in 1940.

. Pamphlet entitledKnittiing Machine Lectures-published by theWyornissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, in 1935.

An apparatus or arrangement within the invention for applying liquid toor treating yarns 4 lar guide means 33 forming the other one of saidpair and which is located on the opposite side of the trough 30 andwhich has a guide rod 36 similar to rod 34. The means 32 and 33 areshown as substantially identical and preferably act not only as guidesbut also as tensioning and wiping devices and, for these purposestheyhave felt blocks 3"! and '38 respectively held in channels 40 and 4i ina position causing blocks 3'! and 38 to bear on the yarn crossing thetops of rods 34 and 35, to tension and wipe the yarns. The channels 4iwill be understood to be identical with channels 43 so that theconstruction and arrangement of both means 32 and 33 will be fullyunderstandable from Figs. 3, 4 and "I. The rods 33 and '36 are shown asresting on pads 35 of felt or cotton waste.

with liquid to condition them for fabrication is shown in the drawings-in connection with parts of a full-fashioned knitting machine but itwill be "understood that the present invention'inay be used with otherforms of fabricating apparatus. However, it is of particular importancein con-'- nection with knitting machines because yarns for'knittingoften contain a sizing which dissolves in the-liquid used for treatingthe yarn to condition it forming a slime which adheres to the inside ofthe yarn treating apparatus causing a gummy and unsanitary condition ifthe treating apparatus is not cleaned quite frequently.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings, certain of the yarns passingto the fabricating machine pass above the treating liquid and some passthrough it. All the yarns, however, may be lifted from the levels theyoccupy while fabrication is going on to levels permitting ready accessto the liquid container for cleaning and the elements by which the yarnsare so lifted maybe releasably fastened in elevated positions so that Ithe yarns are maintained out of the way during thecleaning operation. Asshown, the elements are arranged to turn aboutan axis so located thatthey swing to a position above and to one side of the liquid containeras they raise the yarns. Suitable guiding means are provided for all theyarns and,.prefcrab1y also, the guiding means for the yarns whichcontact the liquidhave a tensioning effect as well as a wiping effect,while the trough or other, liquid container is preferably of roundedsection to facilitate cleaning operations.

Referring 17o Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings there is shown a portion ofa" full-fashioned knitting machine including transverse frame membersit, aback beam [2 and center bed l4 connecting the frame members ID, acam shaft l5, and gallows members I6 secured to the frame members andsupporting a yarn box 20.. The yarn'box 2D has yarn packages 22 thereinfrom which yarns 24 and '25 are drawn offfor knitting. The yarns 24 areshown passing through apertures in the top'of yarn box 29 and aroundguide rods '2! to plate type tension devices 23 and thence tothe usualslidable tensioning rings R and snappers S. Certain of the yarns 25 aretreated in a yarn mois'tening device 28 within the invention and pass,after leaving 'box 20, around rods 2! to and through eyelets 26, saideyelets forming parts of guide means associated with the device '28. Theeyelets 2B are mounted along one edge of a trough 30 and each eyeletdelivers a yarn to the first of a pair of yarn guide means, designated32, Figs. 3 and 4, which has a guide rod 34 over which the yarn passes.Each guide means 32 delivers its yarntoua simi- The eyelets 26 are shownas mounted at a given level in vertical portions 32 of members 43 onwhich are mounted said means 32 and 33 including channels 40 and M.Members 43 rest on and are fixed to angle members 44 fixed in turn tothe upper edges of trough 33, the members 43 and 44 in this instanceextending across one knitting section as shown in Fig. 1. However, themeans for supporting the eyelets and the combined means 32 and 33 may beparts of the trough proper or otherwise supported as desired.

From rods 34 of combined guide and tensioning means 32 all the yarns 25run to the opposite side of trough 3.9. If desired, one or more of theyarns '25 extends. across the trough 33 from guide means 32 to guidemeans 33 without deflection and each of the guide means 33 delivers itsyarn to an eyelet 43 carried on a member 43 at'the opposite side of thetrough 30 from the eyelet 26. Each of the yarns pass from an eyelet- 43to. one of the tension rings R and from the ring to one of the snappersS of the machine. From the snapper S the yarn is passed toa yarn carrier4-1 three of which are shown in Fig. 2. Yarn carriers 4-! lay the yarnon sinkers. 48 and dividers 45 in the usual manner. The combined guideand tensioning means 33 and eyelets 46 are shown as mounted similarlyto. means 32 and eyelets 26. The means 33 not only have the functions ofguiding and tensioning the yarns pass-v ing therethrough but, as willpresently appear, certain of them also perform the function of wipingexcess liquid from certain yarns and are therefore combined guiding,tensioning and wiping means. a I

' From rods 34 of means 32 certain of the yarns 25 are deflecteddownwardly so as to passthrough and be immersed in a body of liquid 49in trough 39 before reaching means 33.- For so deflecting said yarns 23ahollow guide rod or float member such as 50 is provided in the trough33 under which the yarn passes and which normally floats on the liquid49 so as to be partially submerged therein as shown in Fig. 3. Forconvenience a series of float guides 50, one for each knitting sectionof the machine, are used over the full length of the machine but onlyone guide 53 and its mounting is shown and will be described. The guide53 has its ends-arranged loosely in slots 52 in members 54, one end ofsaid guide being provided with a square portion 5! to prevent the rodfrom turning in the slots 52, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. I 7

As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the plate members 54 are provided with aprojecting portion 55 to limit the endwise movement of the rod 50. Themembers 54 are shown as fixed by screws 51 to the ends of arms 58 fixedin turn to a rod or shaft 60 pivotally supported in fixed relation tothe trough 30. Below the slots 52, members '1v are connected by a rod.02 which extends-parallel to guide 50, through apertures in the members54, the rod having collars 64 to hold the rod in place as shown in Fig.5. Rod 62 braces the ends of the members 54 but it also has anotherpurpose which will appear hereinbelow.

The shaft 60 to which the arms 58 are fixed is pivoted in hangermembers, one of which appears at 66 and which provide thereby a pivotfor arms 58 and therefore forguide member 50 and rod-62 parallelthereto. Said members are carried on a bar 68 or like member fixed tothe frame of the machine. The members 66 are also adapted to support thetrough 30 and are held in'fixed relation to the bar 68 by screws 61.Therefore, the arms 58 are maintained in definite predeterminedrelationship to the trough 30 when shaft 60 is turned on itslongitudinal axis. When shaft 60 is so turned, the arms 58 are swung soas to lift the guide 50 and the rod 62 to thereby lift yarns which passbetween eyelets 26 and 45 and facilitate cleaning the trough 30. Forturning shaft 60 a handle I0is secured to shaft 60 so that when thehandle is turned me clockwise direction the arms 58 move the guide 50and rod 62 upwardly from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to theposition shown in Fig. 4. With this action the guide 50 lifts the yarnor yarns extending from the guide means 32 to guide means 33 and abovethe guide 50 while the rod 62 lifts the yarn passing beneath the guiderod 50, whereby cleaning of the trough is facilitated. Further, thehandle 10 preferably has latch means associated therewith whereby thehandle may be latched to hold the arms 58 and connected parts in liftedposition as in Fig. 4.-

As shown, said latch means comprises a, plunger 12 which is slidablymounted in. a longitudinal socket inthe handle and has an enlarged headI3 to facilitate pushing the plunger longitudinally of the handle whendesired. A compression spring I4 is shown in dotted lines between theplunger I2 and the bottom of the socket in which it is mounted and ahook shaped latch member 16 is mounted on the outside of handle 10 butsoas to move with the plunger 12, latch member 16 extending through aslot in the handleand bein fixe'd'to the plunger I2 by a screw I8 showndotted in Fig. 4. The slot through which latch member I6 passes issufiiciently elongated to perunit the spring 14 to move the latch memberinto latching engagement with a bar 80 fixed to apart of the machineframe and for releasing said latch member from the bar 80. A projection82 on the handle is adapted to engage the bar 80 to determine thelatching position of the handle. The plunger 12 is provided with a pin79 extending from the plunger into a slot BI in the handle 10, the slotBI determining the limits of movement of the plunger in the handle. Withthis arrangement all of the guide rods 50, rods 52 and yarns over thefull length of the machine may be simultaneously raised to the positionshown in Fig. 4 and latched in such position length of the machine,although it may bedivided into several sections for convenientmanufacture. 'With the trough'30 being continuous the liquid may becirculated from one end of the. trough to theothern To circulate theliquid in the trough 30 the means provided, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2,comprises a pump 95 driven by a belt 96from the cam shaft I5. Pump 95lifts liquid from a sump I00 through a suction pipe I02 and forces itthrough a pipe I04 into one end of trough 30, the right end of thetrough as shown in Fig. 1. The other end of trough 30 has an overflowvalve I05 having a drain pipe I06 leading downward therefrom, the upperend of said pipe being controlled by the valve'which is operated by afloat member I08 which affects the valve I05 to regulate the position ofthe valve and thereby the overflow of liquid from the trough 30 tomaintain constant the level of liquid in said trough. The float memberis pivotally carried by a bracket H2 secured to the trough 30. The pipeI06 delivers the overflow liquid back to the sump I00.

The liquid 49 may be Water or water containing one or another of certainmixtures or compositions of matter dissolved or colloidally dispersedtherein, depending on the character of the yarn and the results sought.However, the invention is not limited to the use of an aqueous liquid inthe trough 30.

With the hereinbefore described arrangement the yarn treating liquid iscontinuously pumped by the pump 95 into one end of the trough 30 fromthe sump I00 and returned to the sump through the overflow valve I05when the liquid in the trough exceeds a predetermined level, asdetermined by the float member I08. It will be seen that the full streamdelivered by the pump flows continuously along the trough the fulllength of the combined knitting sections and the quantity of liquidneeded to treat the yarns on the entire machine is kept to a minimum.The yarn guiding and lifting means are such as to offer a minimum ofobstruction to flow of the liquid so that local variations of rate offlow along the length of the trough are substantially avoided, therebypermitting a relatively high average rate of flow in proportion to thecrosssection of the trough Without materially disturbing the yarnspassing through the stream of liquid. By this continuous circulation ofthe liquid through the trough the sizing dissolved from the yarn iscontinuously stirred and thereby prevented from settling to the surfaceof the trough or the yarn guiding means in the trough. In the sump I00,however, the sizing largely settles out, so that substantially cleanliquid is delivered to the trough 30 by pump 95 throughout relativelylong runs between cleanings.

When the liquid becomes too saturated with the sizing or other matterfrom the yarn, the trough is drained, the guides 51!, the rod 62 and theyarns passing through and above the liquid are lifted from the trough bythe handle I9 and latched in such position. The trough may then becleaned and flushed out without disturbing the yarns, the sump drainedand cleaned and the whole system again filled with fresh liquid.

The handle 10 is unlatched from the bar and.

the guides 50, rods 62 and the yarns again returned to operatingposition.

In th foregoing detailed description the trough 30 is extendedthroughout the length across the several sections of a multi-sectionfull-fashioned knitting machine, and there is provided yarn guide andimmersing means for each of said knitting sections. It is clearly withinthe concept of this invention to have the aforesaid guide and immersingmeans each individual toits respective knitting section or in multiplesof two or more.

It is of particular significance in the present invention that theliquid containing trough extends over a plurality of knitting sectionsand being of such construction that upon the removal of the yarn guideand immersing means from operative position the said trough is withoutinternal hindrance and left perfectly free for cleaning operations, i.e., when it is desired to clean the yarn conditioning trough the yarnguides and immersing devices are all lifted entirely clear of the troughand a cleaning implement may be employed from one end to the other ofsaid trough without contact or interference with the yarn guidingdevices.

In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings there is shown a single elongatedtrough 3B and a multiplicity of yarn guides and immersing devices onefor each section of the knitting machine. It should be quite obviousthat as the number of knitting sections may be increased the length ofthe movable elements including the shaft 60, arms 58 and immersingdevices 50, 54 and 62 obtain considerable weight and it may be desirableto divide the shaft in more than one part and provide several operatinghandles it and latch members 16. For the same reason, i. e., increasingthe number of knitting sections and therefore the length of the machine,it may also be desirable to divide the trough 30 into several completesections each of which is provided with a pipe H14 for carrying thetreating liquid from the pump 95 to the trough, an overflow valve Hi5and a drain pipe I06 for carrying the liquid from the trough to the sumpI00.

Qf course, the improvements specifically shown and described, by whichthe above described results are obtained, can be changed and modified invarious ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed andhereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, yarn conditioning apparatus comprising incombination a trough containing liquid, guide means for yarn, one ateach side of said trough, a longitudinal immersing guide between saidtwo means, a longitudinal lifting member between which and saidimmersing guide are passed the yarns to be treated, pivot means on whichsaid guide and lifting member are supported, and means common to saidimmersing guide and said lifting member for swinging them from thetrough to free the trough for cleaning.

2. In a knitting machine, yarn conditioning apparatus comprising atrough containing liquid, a guiding means on one side of said trough, animmersing yarn guide at least partially submerged in said liquid and towhich said means delivers yarn for immersion, a guiding means on theother side of said trough, spaced members in which said immersing guideis held, a member parallel to said immersing guide also held in saidspaced members, pivot means on which said spaced members are supported,and means for lifting said spaced members from the trough by swingingthem on said pivot means, said parallel member acting when said spacedmembers are lifted to lift yarn passing beneath said immersing memberand to free the trough for cleaning.

3. In a knitting machine, liquid treating apparatus for yarns comprisingin combination a trough for liquid, pairs of guide means arrangedoppositely on the sides of said trough and cooperating in passing yarnsthreaded therethrough transversely of the trough, a yarn guide extendingbelow the surface of the liquid in the trough toimmerse yarns which passbeneath it, a rod parallel to said immersing guide and between which andthe guide yarn is threaded, members for supporting said immersing guideand said rod, and arms fixed to said members, said arms pivoted on anaxis enabling said immersing guide and said rod to lift yarn whichpasses beneath the immersing guide out of said trough, whereby thetrough may be cleaned without unthreading the yarns.

4. In a knitting machine, liquid treating apparatus for yarns comprisingin combination a trough for the liquid, pairs of guiding means arrangedoppositely on said trough and passing yarns transversely of the trough,a yarn guide parallel to the trough and extending below the surface ofthe liquid in the trough to immerse yarns which pass beneath it, a rodparallel to said immersing guide and between which and the guide yarn ispassed, members Within the ends of the trough to which said immersingguide and said rod are connected, arms fixed to said members wherebysaid members may be swung out of the trough and so that the rod isadapted to lift yarn which passes beneath the immersing guide to aposition whereby the trough may be cleaned without unthreading theyarns.

5. In a knitting machine, apparatus for treating yarns with liquid andcomprising in combination a trough for holding a treating liquid,members having slots therein, a float member in and having only limitedend play in said slots and extending below the surface of the liquid inthe trough to immerse yarns which pass beneath the float member, a rodconnected to said members and arranged so that yarn passes between saidfloat member and said rod and pivoted arms connected to said memberswhereby said members may swing said float member and rod out of thetrough.

6. In a knitting machine, apparatus for treatingyarns with liquid andcomprising in combination a trough for holding a treating liquid andmounted on framework of the machine, members having slots therein, afloat member in said slots and extending below the surface of the liquidin the trough to immerse yarns which pass beneath it, means associatedwith said slots for limiting the end play of the float member in saidslots, a rod connected to said members and having yarn threaded betweenitself and the float member and pivotally supported arms connecting saidmembers, said arms pivoted on an axis in said framework and arranged tolift the float member and rod out of the trough.

'7. In a knitting machine, apparatus for conditioning yarns andcomprising in combination a trough for holding a treating liquid, alongitudinal yarn guide parallel to the trough and extending below thesurface of the liquid in the trough to immerse yarns which pass beneathit, and guiding means for the yarns and placed on each side of saidtrough having each a rod across the top of which the yarn passes and afelt bearing on the top of said rod and on yarn passing thereover.

8. In a knitting machine, apparatus for conditioning yarns andcomprising in combination a trough for holding a treating liquid, a yarnguide parallel to the trough and extending below the surface of theliquid in the trough to immerse yarns which pass beneath it, guidingmeans for the yarns on one side of said trough and combined guidingandwiping means for theyarns onthe other side of said trough, said meanshaving each a rod across thetop of which yarn is adapted to'pass and afelt having a substantially plane face bearing on top of said rod andyarn passing thereover.

9. In a knitting machine, apparatus for conditioning yarns andcomprising in combination a trough for liquid extending uninterruptedlythe length of all the knitting sections, having a rounded section andrelatively shallow in proportion to its width, float guide meansextending below the surface of the liquid in the troughto immerse yarnswhich pass beneath it, means to pass liquid through said trough from endto end thereof, and means to position said float means in useconstructed and arranged to minimize resistance to the flow of liquidalong the trough.

10. In a knitting machine, apparatus for conditioning yarns andcomprising in combination a trough for treating liquid having yarn guidemeansmounted on each side thereof and cooperating in passing some yarnsat least through the liquid in the trough, a float member parallel tothe trough and-acting as a guide to yarns passing through the liquid,members normally extending into the trough and in which said floatmember is guided, a rod connecting said members and spaced from saidfloat member, pivoted arms connected to said members adapted to raisesaid float member and said rod out of said trough and means adapted tohold said arms in raised position.

11-. In a knitting machine, apparatus for de-- liveringconditioned yarnscomprising in com' bination a trough for liquid having 'a roundedsection and relatively shallow in proportion to its width, a yarn guidemember parallel to the trough and extending below the surface of theliquid therein to immerse yarns which pass beneath; it, guidemeans atthe sides of the trough directing yarn to and receiving yarn from :saidyarn guidemember, members normally Within and generally transverse tothe trough to which said yarn guide member is connected, said trans-'verse members pivotally supported and adapted to be swung above thetrough, and a yarn lifting member also connected to said transversemembers in parallel relation to said guide member.

12. In a knitting machine, yarn treating apparatus comprising incombination a trough for treating liquid, guide means adapted to passyarns from one side to the other of said trough above the level of theliquid therein, guide means adapted to pass other yarns through saidliquid, and means adapted to lift all said yarns, and means to latchsaid lifting means to hold the yarns in positions permitting readycleaning of the trough.

13. In a knitting machine, yarn treating apparatus comprising incombination a trough for treating liquid, guide means adapted. to passyarns through said liquid in a path leading from one side to the otherof said trough, a portion of said guide means acting to wipe excessliquid from yarns passing therethrough, mechanical means adapted to liftsaid yarns, and means to latch said lifting means to hold the yarns inpositions permitting ready cleaning of the trough.

14. In a multi-section knitting machine, yarn conditioning apparatuscomprising a trough adapted to contain liquid and which extendsuninterruptedly the length of all the knitting sections, guide meansassociated with the said trough to direct a plurality of yarns to eachsaid knitting section transversely of such trough,

means for immersing a plurality of said yarns for-each section in theliquid, said last means being so constructed and arranged to lie beneaththe upper surface ofsaid trough, unitary means for removing the entireimmersing means and all the yarns affected thereby from the trough, andmeans for circulating the liquid through said trough from end to endthereof. i

15. In a knitting machine, apparatus for treat ing yarn in a straightbar knitting machine comprising in combination a trough having a body ofliquid for treating yarn, guide means for yarn to be treated in saidliquid portions of which are mounted at a level above the edge of thetrough and a portion of which extends longitudinally of the trough andis normally immersed in the treating liquid, a shaft parallel to thetrough and 'journalled above the yarn guide means, spaced connectionsbetween said shaft and said normally immersed longitudinal portion ofthe guide means, a longitudinal member joining said connectionsbelowsaid longitudinal portion when the portion is in the liquid, a handlefor said shaft for swinging said longitudinal portion and member upwardto free the trough for cleaning, and latch means for holding said spacedconnec-' tions in elevated position.

16. In a knitting machine, apparatus for treating yarns comprising incombination a float type yarn guide and a means in which said guide isheld with limited end play and including a pair of a similar plateshaving portions pressed out along one edge only to form slots in whichsaid guide is held but is free to move longitudinally of the slots, saidpressed out portions having parts standing at right angles to the bodiesof the plates and parts parallel to the bodies of the plates to limitthe movement of said guide longi tudinally of its own axis.

17. In a knitting machine, apparatus for treating yarns comprising incombination a float type yarn guide, a means in which said guide is heldwith limited end play and including a pair of similarplates havingportions pressed out along one edge only to form slots in which saidguide is held but is free to move longitudinally of the slots, saidpressed out portions having "parts standing at right angles to thebodies of the plates and parts parallel to the bodies of the plates tolimit the movement of said guide longitudinally of its own axis and amember connect ing the plates and adapted to lift yarn passing below theguide.

18. In a multi-section knitting machine, the combination of a troughthrough which yarn treating liquid flows and which extendsuninterruptedly the length of all the knitting sections, means forimmersing yarns in said liquidar ranged to minimize local obstructionsto the flow of the liquid, means for circulating the liquid through saidtrough from end to end thereof, and valve means responsive to the levelof liquid at the discharge end of the trough for controlling the rate ofoutflow from trough.

19. In a multi-section knitting machine, the combination of a troughthrough which yarn treating liquid flows and which extendsuninterruptedly the length of all the knitting sections, means forimmersing yarns in said liquid arranged to minimize local obstructionsto the flow of the liquid, means for circulating the liquid through saidtrough from end to end thereof, and means outside the trough for takingimpurities from said liquid.

20. In a multi-section knitting machine, the.

combination of a trough through which yarn treating liquid flows andwhich extends uninter ruptedly the length of all the knitting sections,means for immersing yarns in said liquid substantially free of meanslocally obstructing flow of the liquid, means for circulating the liquidthrough said trough from end to end thereof, and float valve means nearthe end of the trough at which liquid leaves the, trough for controllingthe discharge of liquid from the trough.

21. In a multi-section knitting machine, yarn conditioning apparatuscomprising a trough adapted to contain liquid and which extendsuninterruptedly the length of all the knitting sections, guide meansassociated with said trough to direct a plurality of said yarns to eachsaid knitting S ction transversely of such trough, means for eachsection for immersing a plurality of said yarns in the liquid, said lastmeans constructed and arranged to lie beneath the upper edge oi saidtrough, unitary means for elevating a plurality of said immersing meansand the yarns affected thereby to free at least a portion of the trou rcleaning, and means for circulating the liquid through said trough fromend to end thereo 22. In a knitting machine, apparatus for conditiOningyarns and comprising in combination a trough for holding treatingliquid, 2. yarn guide parallel to the trough and extending below thesurface of the liquid in the trough to immerse yarns which pass beneathit, guide means at the sides of the trough directing yarn to andreceiving yarn from said guide member, members normally within andgenerally transverse to the trough to which said yarn guide member isconnected, said transverse members pivotally supported and adapted to beswung above the trough, and a yarn lifting member also connected to saidtransverse members.

23. In a knitting machine, apparatus for conditioning yarn andcomprising in combination a trough for holding treating liquid, a yarnguide parallel to the trough and extending below the surface of theliquid in the trough to immerse yarns which pass beneath it, guide meansat the sides of the trough directing yarn to and receiving yarn fromsaid guide member, members normally within and generally transverse tothe trough to which said yarn guide member is connected, said transversemembers pivotally supported and adapted to be swung above the trough,and a yarn lifting member also connected to said transverse members insubstantially parallel relation to said guide member.

24'. In a knitting machine apparatus for conditioning yarn andcomprising in combination a trough for holding treating liquid, a yarnguide parallel to the trough and extending below the surface of the.liquid in the trough to immerse yarns which pass beneath it. uide meansat the sides of the trough directing yarn to and receiving yarn fromsaid guide member, members normally within and generally transverse tothe trough to which said yarn guide member is connected, said transversemembers pivotally sup.- ported and adapted to, be swung above thetrough, and a yarn lifting member also connected to said transversemembers but below said guide member.

25. In a knitting machine, a yarn treating means including an elongatedtrough for liquid, shelves connected to said trough and supporting yarnuides close to the verticals through the edges of the liquid in thetrough, an immersing yarn guide extending centrally of the liquid in thetrough to which yarn guides on the shelves deliver. yarn and from whichyarn guides on the shelves receive yarn, arms pivotally mounted at alevel above said Shelves and having said immersing guide connectedthereto and adapted to swing to move said immersing guide upward andlaterally of the trough away from the vertical through the immersingposition of the immersing uide.

26. In a knitting machine, apparatus for conditioning yarns andcomprising a yarn moistening means, guiding and tensioning means foryarns acting on yarns passing to said moistening means, and guiding andtensioning means acting on yarns passing away from said moisteningmeans, each of said guiding and tensioning means composed essentially ofa rod across the top of which the yarn passes and a non-rotating feltbearing on top of the rod and on yarn passing thereover. JOSEPH W.CRAWFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

